Building Societies

Lord Sassoon: My honourable friend the Financial Secretary to the Treasury (Mark Hoban) has today made the following Written Ministerial Statement.
	The Government White Paper Banking Reform: Delivering Stability and Supporting a Sustainable Economy, published on 14 June 2012, announced that the Government would shortly publish a discussion document on the building societies sector, setting out the full detail of their proposals for building societies, and their aspirations for the sector. We are today publishing this document.
	The Future of Building Societies sets out the Government's aim to maintain the distinctiveness of the sector while creating a level playing field and removing unnecessary barriers to growth. It will amend the Building Societies Act to widen the opportunities for building societies and to align them with the ring fenced banks without compromising their mutuality and the pivotal role they play in supporting the aspirations of families. The loss-absorbency proposals will apply to building societies as they will for banks of a similar profile. More detail will be announced in due course.
	Furthermore, the Government are open to reviewing those parts of the Building Societies Act that the sector believes restricts it, where this is in accordance with maintaining its distinctiveness as part of their drive to foster diversity in the financial sector.
	The discussion document is available on HM Treasury's website, and copies have been placed in the Libraries of both Houses.

Disabled People: Blue Badge Scheme

Earl Attlee: My honourable friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Transport (Norman Baker) has made the following Ministerial Statement.
	I am today publishing a consultation document on personal independence payment and eligibility for a Blue Badge. The consultation period closes on Tuesday 2 October 2012.
	The coalition Government are taking forward important reforms to the welfare system. One of these reforms will involve changes to disability living allowance and will affect eligibility for a disabled person's parking permit or Blue Badge. About a third of all badges are currently issued to people who receive the higher rate of the mobility component of disability living allowance. My department is therefore consulting on the options we have for dealing with the impact of the changes. The consultation covers arrangements for England only.
	I am committed to ensuring that the Blue Badge scheme continues to be focused on those people who will benefit most from the parking concessions that it offers, and that it is sustainable in the future. The Government have identified three main options for responding to the implementation of personal independence payments. The three main options are:
	option 1-no legislative link between eligibility for a Blue Badge and eligibility to personal independence payment;option 2-establishing a legislative link between Blue Badge eligibility and the enhanced mobility component of personal independence payment; andoption 3-establishing a legislative link between Blue Badge eligibility and those who score eight points or more within the "moving around" activity within personal independence payment. This assesses a person's physical ability to get around.
	The Government's preferred option is option 3 as it would mean that eligibility for a Blue Badge would be most similar to the current scheme and the potential impacts of this option are minimal. We will, however, consider this in light of views and comments sent in as part of the consultation. The Government are also asking for other suggestions for other practical and sustainable solutions.
	The consultation concludes on 2 October 2012. Personal independence payments will be introduced for new claimants aged between 16 and 64 from April 2013 onwards. It will begin to replace disability living allowance for existing recipients aged between 16 and 64 from October 2013 onwards. Any consequential changes to the Blue Badge scheme will also be phased in and will affect existing badge holders when an existing badge expires and they need to apply for a new one.
	A copy of the consultation document has been placed in the Library of the House.

Disabled People: Elected Office

Baroness Verma: My honourable friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Equalities and Criminal Information (Lynne Featherstone) has today made the following Written Ministerial Statement.
	The Government are today launching a £2.6 million fund to support disabled people who wish to stand for elected office. This proposal forms part of the Government's strategy to provide support for disabled people-the Access to Elected Office Strategy. Following public consultation, the strategy has been developed by the Home Office, working with the Cabinet Office and the Department for Work and Pensions.
	Disabled people are under-represented in public life, as the speaker's conference report and the parliamentary debate on 12 January recognised. Following public consultation, the Government last year published proposals to provide extra support for disabled people who wish to stand for elected office.
	The fund we are launching today will support disabled people with some of the additional costs that a disabled person may face in standing for elections, compared to a non-disabled person.
	This will not, however, replace existing obligations for parties, which is why I have published guidance for political parties on their legal responsibilities under the Equality Act 2010, particularly on the reasonable adjustments they should make for disabled people.
	The fund will be open until March 2014 and will be available to support disabled people seeking elected positions in the following polls, including by-elections: police and crime commissioners; English local and English mayoral; Greater London Authority; and UK Parliament. The impact of the fund and the strategy overall will be evaluated to inform any decision about any further support beyond the current spending period. We will also continue to work with colleagues in the devolved Administrations to share our learning from this strategy.
	The fund will be complemented by an introductory online training course on standing for elections, launched today. It will be of interest to anyone without previous experience who wishes to stand for elections but is aimed particularly at disabled people. It includes contributions from disabled politicians and others to encourage disabled people to stand for elected office.
	As I have already announced to the Speaker in my letter of 16 March, I am also pleased to say that, as part of the Access to Elected Office's commitment to provide support to disabled people, I am funding up to three additional placements specifically for disabled people as part of the Speaker's parliamentary placement scheme.
	Further details of all these initiatives can be found on the Home Office website at http://homeoffice.gov.uk/equalities/equality-public-political/ .

ECOFIN

Lord Sassoon: My right honourable friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer (George Osborne) has today made the following Written Ministerial Statement.
	The Economic and Financial Affairs Council will be held in Brussels on 10 July 2012. Ministers will discuss the following items:
	Economic governance-two pack
	Ministers will hold an orientation debate on the two pack of economic governance proposals, to discuss the European Parliament's position. This will inform the first working-level trialogue meeting with the European Parliament on 11 July.
	The first proposal concerns strengthening surveillance of budgetary policies in euro area member states. It would require euro area countries to present their draft budgets at the same time each year and give the Commission the right to assess and, if necessary, issue an opinion on them. The second proposal concerns strengthening economic and fiscal surveillance of euro area countries facing or threatened with serious financial instability. It aims to ensure that the surveillance of member states under a financial assistance programme, or facing a serious threat of financial instability, is robust, follows clear procedures and is embedded in EU law.
	The UK broadly welcomes these proposals, which will be an important part of governance reforms. The proposals will help improve fiscal stability in the euro area, which is in the UK's national interest. The euro area must put in place governance arrangements to create confidence for the future and ensure fiscal responsibility.
	(Possible agenda item) Revised capital requirements rules (CRD4)
	The presidency may update Ministers on the latest trialogue negotiations, following the general approach agreed by Ministers at 15 May ECOFIN. The UK continues to support the full implementation of Basel 3 and for member states to have sufficient flexibility to increase minimum standards in order to protect financial stability in their jurisdiction.
	Proposal for Bank recovery and resolution directive
	This item was deferred from the 22 June ECOFIN. The Commission will present its new proposals for a directive, following which Ministers may then have an initial exchange of views. The directive will require member states to ensure that their national supervisory and resolution authorities have a set of common tools and powers which will enable them to avert, and where necessary manage, the failure of a financial institution. The proposal seeks to prevent the systemic damage caused by the disorderly failure of such institutions, limiting public sector exposure and preventing wider economic damage.
	Presentation of the Cyprus presidency work programme
	The new presidency will set out their work programme for the next six months. Ministers will have an exchange of views on Cyprus' work programme.
	Follow-up to the European Council on 28 and 29 June 2012
	Ministers will discuss the follow-up to the European Council, which considered a paper by the four presidents (of the Council, Eurogroup, ECB and Commission), Towards a Genuine Economic and Monetary Union and agreed a Compact for Growth and Jobs.
	Contributions to the European Council Meeting on 28 and 29 June 2012- European semester
	The presidency will ask Ministers to adopt council recommendations on national reform programmes and stability or convergence programmes. The recommendations were endorsed at June European Council. The UK supports the European semester process and the country specific recommendations.

EU: Cypriot Presidency

Lord Howell of Guildford: My right honourable friend the Minister for Europe (David Lidington) has made the following Written Ministerial Statement.
	I am keen to keep Members fully informed on developments in the European Union and their implications for the United Kingdom and our priorities. I would, therefore, like to draw Members' attention to a paper on the priorities of the Cypriot presidency of the Council of the European Union, which has been placed in the Library of the House.
	I have also deposited a copy of the Cypriot's own presidency priorities paper, the official calendar of events and a list of key Cypriot personnel for the presidency.

Exports: Tasers

Lord Howell of Guildford: My honourable friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (Alistair Burt) has made the following Written Ministerial Statement.
	Torture is an affront to human rights and the UK will not waver from our determination to combat it wherever and whenever it occurs.
	Since 1997 it has been UK government policy to prevent persons and companies operating in the UK from manufacturing, selling or procuring equipment designed primarily for torture, and have taken necessary measures to prevent the export from, or transhipment through, the UK of portable devices designed or modified for riot control purposes or self-protection that administer an electric-shock. This included electric discharge shock guns, of which Taser is a brand.
	In my Written Ministerial Statement of 9 February 2012, I reconfirmed the Government's commitment to this longstanding policy. We are determined to prevent companies or persons operating from the UK or UK persons wherever they are in the world from manufacturing, selling, or procuring equipment designed primarily for torture and we will continue to press for a global ban on such equipment. We will maintain this prohibition on the export, transhipment, and trade in such equipment to all destinations, except in the very limited and specific circumstances set out in the Statement regarding to Tasers in specific cases relating to approved use by UK police, or by the police of the Crown dependencies or overseas territories.
	The ban on British involvement in these activities has always been intended to apply, and will continue to be applicable to trade activities as well as to export and transhipment. This is necessary to ensure that the policy ban on selling, manufacturing and procuring of this equipment has maximum effect. Trade activities include the trafficking and brokering of controlled goods from one third country to another third country by UK persons wherever they are, or by any persons carrying out such activities in the United Kingdom. Trade activities were not included in the July 1997 Statement because at the time such activities were not controlled in the United Kingdom.
	Thus the Government will not issue licences for trade (including trafficking and brokering) in equipment designed primarily for torture to any person in the United Kingdom or to United Kingdom persons as defined in Section 11 of the Export Control Act 2002 (which includes British citizens and UK registered companies), wherever they are in the world, other than in the limited and specific circumstances set out in my statement of 9 February 2012.

Flooding

Lord Taylor of Holbeach: My right honourable friend the Secretary of State (Caroline Spelman) has today made the following Statement.
	Following my Written Ministerial Statement to the House on 3 July (col. 48ws) concerning the flooding events in the Midlands and North East of England on 28 June, I would like to provide a further update on the significant flooding events that have taken place over this weekend on 6-8 July in England following further periods of extremely high rainfall.
	I would also like to acknowledge the tragic events which have taken place in the Krasnodar Region of Russia over the weekend and to express our sympathies for the communities and individuals involved.
	During Friday and Saturday there was heavy and persistent rainfall across England and Wales, which on top of the already saturated ground has caused serious flooding in some areas and disruption to many more. There were widespread local impacts including to property, transport networks, sporting and cultural events, and agricultural land.
	I can confirm that on the latest count a total of 391 properties were flooded across England from rivers and surface water flooding. 147 properties flooded in the South West; two-thirds of which were flooded due to rivers overflowing their banks and the rest from surface water. Eighty properties were flooded in the Midlands and a further 86 in Yorkshire, Lincolnshire and the north.
	Nationally it is estimated that about 3,000 properties have been protected from flooding over this weekend as a result of flood defences in place. The Met Office and the Environment Agency have been providing flood and weather warnings and over 200 flood warnings and alerts were sent to communities at risk of flooding across the country, including three warnings of severe river flooding.
	Following the wettest June since records began across England and Wales, the rainfall in July falling in East Devon was over 100 mm-three times the rain normally expected for the whole of July-and across the South Pennines over 60 mm of rain fell which is 75% of the rain expected for the whole month. These rainfall figures demonstrate how severe and unusual the conditions have been but despite this we are determined to carry on improving our resilience to deal with this type of weather in the future.
	On Sunday I visited the town of Ottery St Mary in the South West and saw for myself the damage and disruption to people's lives that this flooding has caused. I would like to thank the local authorities and other agencies in the area for their efforts to protect lives and properties in Ottery and other affected communities and now to help them begin to clear up.
	The Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government is activating the Bellwin scheme of emergency financial assistance to help local authorities with their immediate costs associated with protecting life and property in their areas. Exceptionally, the scheme will reimburse local authorities for 100% of their eligible costs above threshold. This is in recognition of the particular circumstances around these floods and will give the affected local authorities assurance that such costs will be reimbursed. Government officials will also be discussing the recovery arrangements with local authorities in the areas affected.
	The Government recognise the importance which flood insurance plays in these circumstances and are working closely with the insurance industry to secure the future availability and affordability of flood insurance following the expiry of the statement of principles next year.
	I am pleased to be able to report that the situation in the South West and other parts of England worst hit by the floods continues to slowly improve. There are no longer any severe flood warnings in force. I would like once again to take the opportunity to praise the excellent response from our front line emergency services, local authorities and the diligent work by Met Office and Environment Agency staff in the Flood Forecasting Centre. With the forecast indicating continuing unsettled weather, we will all need to remain alert to the risk of further flooding in the coming weeks.
	It is my intention to hold a technical briefing for flood affected constituencies in the early part of next week to enable MPs to be made aware of the full range of tools at their disposal to help their constituents.

Justice and Security Bill

Lord Wallace of Tankerness: My right honourable friend the Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice (Kenneth Clarke) has made the following Written Ministerial Statement.
	Today I have laid before Parliament the Government's response to the House of Lords Select Committee on the Constitution's report on the Justice and Security Bill, which was published on 15 June. We have sought to respond promptly in order to help inform the upcoming debates on the Bill.

Local Audit Bill

Baroness Hanham: My right honourable friend the Minister of State for Housing and Local Government (Grant Shapps) made the following Written Ministerial Statement on 6 July 2012.
	Today I am publishing the draft Local Audit Bill for consultation and pre-legislative scrutiny. A copy has been laid before the House. The draft Bill sets out a new, decentralised and more efficient audit framework, that gives local bodies greater responsibility.
	The publication of the draft Local Audit Bill is another key step towards a more transparent and localist audit system, and builds on what has already been achieved since my right honourable friend, the Secretary of State, announced our plans to abolish the Audit Commission. In 2010, the Government brought an end to the top-down regime of routine assessment and inspection of local authorities, reducing the burden on local bodies so they can concentrate on meeting the needs of local people. In preparation for closure the Government asked the Audit Commission to outsource the work of its in-house practice to the private sector. This year and for the next four years local bodies will benefit from a 40% reduction in their audit fees.
	The package of reforms, including the proposals set out in the draft Bill we are publishing today, will bring total expected savings to the public purse of £650 million over the next five years. This figure (which is net of transitional costs) includes savings from the ending of assessment and inspection, a reduction in the cost of audit, and the slimming down and closure of the Audit Commission. Full details of the savings are set out in the consultation-stage impact assessment published alongside the draft Bill.
	The new local audit framework set out in the draft Bill represents better value for money for taxpayers while protecting the integrity of the local audit system. There will be a more streamlined regulatory system that will continue to provide robust assurance over public funds. These reforms will also bring wider benefits: the new regime will be more localist, allowing local bodies to appoint their own auditors, with appropriate safeguards to protect auditor independence. The reforms will complement our existing initiatives to increase transparency and empower local scrutiny of public bodies.
	In the proposed new audit framework, local bodies will be able to appoint their own auditors from an open and competitive market, on the advice of an independent auditor panel. The draft Bill provides the mechanism to delegate new responsibilities to the Financial Reporting Council, which will act as the overall regulator for auditors, and the professional audit bodies. It also sets out a new role for the National Audit Office, which will set the code of audit practice, and will be able to undertake a small number of thematic value for money studies relating to local government. The draft Bill makes provision for the repeal of the Audit Commission Act 1998, and for the transfer of assets, liabilities and continuing functions to other bodies once the Audit Commission closes.
	Although there are no draft clauses included in the Bill at present, the accompanying consultation document makes clear that the intention is to include provisions relating to the audit of health bodies in the final version of the Bill when it is introduced to Parliament.
	I am also publishing alongside the draft Bill detailed proposals for the audit of smaller local public bodies (those with an annual turnover below £6.5 million). These bodies will be subject to a proportionate audit regime, including an option for smaller bodies to have their auditor procured and appointed by a sector-led body. This follows a proposal from the National Association of Local Councils and the Society of Local Council Clerks to establish a body for such a purpose. Additionally, bodies with a turnover below £25,000 will no longer be automatically subject to external audit. Instead, I am proposing new transparency requirements for all smaller bodies with a turnover below £200,000, and local people will still be able to raise objections and have complaints investigated by an auditor if deemed appropriate.
	I welcome scrutiny of the draft Local Audit Bill by the House. We will seek to shorten and simplify the provisions, if at all possible, before it becomes a final Bill. It remains the Government's intention to introduce a final Bill as soon as parliamentary time allows.

Nuclear Disarmament

Lord Howell of Guildford: My honourable friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (Alistair Burt) has made the following Written Ministerial Statement.
	I would like to update the House on the outcomes of the Washington conference of the five nuclear non-proliferation treaty (NPT) recognised nuclear weapon states (P5) on nuclear disarmament, which took place 27-29 June.
	This was the third such conference at senior official level. It followed conferences in the UK (September 2009) and Paris (June 2011), which brought together policy officials, military staff and nuclear scientists from all five nuclear weapons states.
	The conference was an important part of the international dialogue on nuclear disarmament demonstrating a shared determination to make progress on the commitments set out in the 2010 NPT Action Plan.
	The P5 issued the following statement after the meeting:
	"The five nuclear non-proliferation treaty (NPT) nuclear-weapon states, or "P5," met in Washington on June 27-29, 2012, in the wake of the 2009 London and 2011 Paris P5 conferences to review progress towards fulfilling the commitments made at the 2010 NPT review conference, and to continue discussions on issues related to all three pillars of the NPT-non-proliferation, the peaceful uses of nuclear energy and disarmament, including confidence-building, transparency, and verification experiences.
	The P5 reaffirmed their commitment to the shared goal of nuclear disarmament and emphasized the importance of working together in implementing the 2010 NPT review conference action plan. The P5 reviewed significant developments in the context of the NPT since the 2011 Paris P5 conference. In particular, the P5 reviewed the outcome of the 2012 Preparatory Committee for the 2015 NPT review conference, continued their discussion of how to report on their relevant activities, and shared views, across all three pillars of the NPT, on objectives for the 2013 Preparatory Committee and the intersessional period. The 2012 PrepCom outcome included issuance of a P5 statement comprehensively addressing issues in all three pillars (NPT/CONF.2015/PC.I/12).
	The P5 continued their previous discussions on the issues of transparency, mutual confidence, and verification, and considered proposals for a standard reporting form. The P5 recognize the importance of establishing a firm foundation for mutual confidence and further disarmament efforts, and the P5 will continue their discussions in multiple ways within the P5, with a view to reporting to the 2014 PrepCom, consistent with their commitments under actions 5, 20, and 21 of the 2010 RevCon final document.
	Participants received a briefing from the United States on US activities at the Nevada National Security Site. This was offered with a view to demonstrate ideas for additional approaches to transparency.
	Another unilateral measure was a tour of the US Nuclear Risk Reduction Center located at the US Department of State, where the P5 representatives have observed how the United States maintains a communications center to simultaneously implement notification regimes, including under the New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (New START), Hague Code of Conduct Against Ballistic Missile Proliferation (HCOC), and Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) Vienna Document.
	The P5 agreed on the work plan for a P5 working group led by China, assigned to develop a glossary of definitions for key nuclear terms that will increase P5 mutual understanding and facilitate further P5 discussions on nuclear matters.
	The P5 again shared information on their respective bilateral and multilateral experiences in verification, including information on the P5 expert level meeting hosted by the UK in April, at which the UK shared the outcomes and lessons from the UK-Norway Initiative disarmament verification research project. The P5 heard presentations on lessons learned from New START Treaty implementation, were given an overview of US-UK verification work, and agreed to consider attending a follow-up P5 briefing on this work to be hosted by the United States.
	As a further follow-up to the 2010 NPT review conference, the P5 shared their views on how to discourage abuse of the NPT withdrawal provision (Article X), and how to respond to notifications made consistent with the provisions of that article. The discussion included modalities under which NPT states party could respond collectively and individually to a notification of withdrawal, including through arrangements regarding the disposition of equipment and materials acquired or derived under safeguards during NPT membership. The P5 agreed that states remain responsible under international law for violations of the treaty committed prior to withdrawal.
	The P5 underlined the fundamental importance of an effective International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) safeguards system in preventing nuclear proliferation and facilitating co-operation in the peaceful uses of nuclear energy. The P5 discussed concrete proposals for strengthening IAEA safeguards, including through promoting the universal adoption of the additional protocol; and the reinforcement of the IAEA's resources and capabilities for effective safeguards implementation, including verification of declarations by states.
	The P5 reiterated their commitment to promote and ensure the swift entry into force of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT) and its universalization. The P5 reviewed progress in developing the CTBT's verification regime in all its aspects and efforts towards entry into force. Ways to enhance the momentum for completing the verification regime, including the on-site inspection component, were explored. The P5 called upon all states to uphold their national moratoria on nuclear weapons-test explosions or any other nuclear explosion, and to refrain from acts that would defeat the object and purpose of the treaty pending its entry into force. The moratoria, though important, are not substitutes for legally binding obligations under the CTBT.
	The P5 discussed ways to advance a mutual goal of achieving a legally binding, verifiable international ban on the production of fissile material for use in nuclear weapons. The P5 reiterated their support for the immediate start of negotiations on a treaty encompassing such a ban in the conference on disarmament (CD), building on CD/1864, and exchanged perspectives on ways to break the current impasse in the CD, including by continuing their efforts with other relevant partners to promote such negotiations within the CD.
	The P5 remain concerned about serious challenges to the non-proliferation regime and in this connection, recalled their joint statement of May 3 at the Preparatory Committee of the NPT.
	An exchange of views on how to support a successful conference in 2012 on a Middle East zone free of weapons of mass destruction was continued.
	The P5 agreed to continue to meet at all appropriate levels on nuclear issues to further promote dialogue and mutual confidence. The P5 will follow on their discussions and hold a fourth P5 conference in the context of the next NPT Preparatory Committee".

Office of the Children's Commissioner for England

Lord Hill of Oareford: My honourable friend the Minister of State for Children and Families, (Sarah Teather) has made the following Written Ministerial Statement.
	Following John Dunford's independent review of the role of the Children's Commissioner, I informed the House that the Government had accepted in principle all of his recommendations and said that we would consult on the legislative changes needed to implement them. Having taken account of the responses to the consultation, I am today laying draft legislation before the House for pre-legislative scrutiny.
	The Government aim to make the UK the most child-friendly country in Europe. Children are generally more vulnerable than adults and do not have the same opportunities to make their views known or to raise concerns about the impact of new policies or legislation. It is therefore important that they have a strong advocate to represent their interests, particularly when they are in vulnerable situations.
	John Dunford's independent review concluded that there was a continuing need for a Children's Commissioner, who could act as a champion for children and young people-ensuring that their voices were heard and that new policies and legislation were designed in a way that took account of their rights. However, he said that the current legislative framework had prevented the commissioner from fulfilling that role effectively, and that changes were needed to ensure that the commissioner would, in future, have greater impact on children and young people's lives.
	The draft legislation laid before the House today would create a new role for the Children's Commissioner, focused on promoting and protecting the rights of children, in line with the Articles of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, to which the Government are a committed signatory. In order to carry out the role effectively, the Children's Commissioner would have powers to:
	carry out investigations;carry out assessments of the impact of new policies and legislation on children's rights;undertake research; monitor the effectiveness of complaints and advocacy services for children and young people; access places where children are cared for or accommodated away from home, so that their concerns can be heard; request the information needed to carry out full and robust investigations; andrequire those to whom recommendations are made to set out how they intend to respond.
	The draft legislation would make the Children's Commissioner more independent from Government and more directly accountable to Parliament, in particular through an annual report to Parliament that will allow for more effective scrutiny of the impact that the Children's Commissioner's activities have had on the promotion and protection of children's rights. The draft legislation also includes measures designed to make the commissioner's business planning processes more transparent, by making it a requirement for the commissioner to consult on his or her future priorities and to appoint an advisory board.
	In line with John Dunford's recommendations, the draft legislation would also result in the functions of the Children's Rights Director in Ofsted being incorporated within the remit of the Children's Commissioner, but with safeguards to ensure that the current levels of support provided to this vulnerable group of children were not diluted.
	Under the draft legislation, the Children's Commissioner for England would retain responsibility for non-devolved matters, but would be able to delegate his or her powers of investigation to the Children's Commissioners in the devolved Administrations. The Children's Commissioner for England would also be required to consult the Children's Commissioners in the devolved Administrations before conducting an investigation on a non-devolved matter within their jurisdictions or across the UK.
	Copies of the draft legislation will be placed in the House Libraries.

Presumption of Death

Lord McNally: My honourable friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Ministry of Justice (Jonathan Djanogly) has made the following Written Ministerial Statement.
	I have today (Friday 6 July) laid before Parliament a Command Paper setting out the response of the Ministry of Justice to the report of the Justice Committee on Presumption of Death (HC 1663)[Cm 8377].
	In its report the committee criticised the present law in England and Wales. The committee recommended that better guidance should be made available to those left behind. The committee also recommended that legislation should be introduced to create both a single statutory process to obtain a certificate of presumed death broadly equivalent to a death certificate and a new status of guardian of the affairs of a missing person.
	The Ministry of Justice acknowledges the difficulties faced by those left behind when a person disappears; accepts the committee's recommendation that better guidance should be issued, and is working with others to prepare this. The department also accepts the committee's proposal that a certificate of presumption of death should be created. The Government will introduce legislation to achieve this when parliamentary time permits. In relation to the committee's recommendation on guardianship, the department considers that this area is complex and that further examination of the issues is required before any decision to legislate can properly be taken. The department intends to ask the Law Commission to conduct a detailed project considering how best to effect this reform and is in discussions with it.

Questions for Written Answer: Summer Recess

Lord Strathclyde: It has been agreed through the usual channels that the two dates for tabling Questions for Written Answer during the Summer Recess this year will be Monday 10 September and Monday 1 October.
	Answers to Written Questions will be made available online once a week and an edition of Hansard will be published on 24 September in which Answers received by that time will be published together with Written Ministerial Statements.

Taxation: Oil and Gas Investment

Lord Sassoon: My honourable friend the Economic Secretary to the Treasury (Chloe Smith) has today made the following Written Ministerial Statement.
	At Budget 2012, the Government announced a package of measures on oil and gas taxation to support investment. This package included the introduction of legislation in 2013 giving the Government statutory authority to sign contracts with companies operating in the UK and UK Continental Shelf (UKCS), to provide assurance on the tax relief they will receive when decommissioning assets.
	The Government recognise that, at present, a lack of certainty over how much tax relief companies expect to be able to claim in respect of their future decommissioning costs is making it difficult for oil and gas assets to change hands, limiting the funds available for new ventures and deterring incremental investment.
	HM Treasury is today publishing the following document: Decommissioning Relief Deeds: Increasing Tax Certainty for Oil and Gas Investment in the UK Continental Shelf.
	This consultation document seeks views on the Government's proposals to provide certainty on decommissioning relief through decommissioning relief deeds.
	It is proposed that these deeds will provide eligible companies with certainty that, if they do not achieve a specified level of relief under the tax code when they decommission their assets, they will (subject to certain conditions) be entitled to claim a shortfall payment from the Government.
	This contractual approach is intended to facilitate further investment and production in the UKCS and is therefore expected to have a positive impact on the Exchequer.
	The initial consultation period will last for 12 weeks, closing on 1 October 2012.
	A copy of the consultation will be made available from the HM Treasury website: http://www.hm-treasury.gov. uk.

Visas

Lord Henley: My honourable friend the Minister of State for Immigration (Damian Green) has today made the following Written Ministerial Statement.
	My right honourable friend the Home Secretary is today laying before the House a statement of changes in the Immigration Rules. The changes support the introduction of a new targeted interview programme by the UK Border Agency, to ensure students seeking to abuse the immigration system are identified and refused a visa for the UK. The UK Border Agency plans to interview between 10,000 and 14,000 student visa applicants over the coming year.
	The first change makes provision for an entry clearance officer to be satisfied that an applicant is a genuine student before granting entry clearance under tier 4 of the points-based system. The second change makes provision for an entry clearance officer to refuse to issue entry clearance where the applicant fails to attend an interview without providing a reasonable explanation. Both changes will be effective from 30 July 2012.
	From December 2011 to the end of February 2012 the UK Border Agency ran an interviewing pilot. The pilot assessed the effectiveness of interviewing more student visa applicants. It also considered the requirement for and potential impact of a new power to refuse entry clearance on grounds of genuineness. Over 2300 visa applicants from 47 countries were interviewed. Seventeen per cent of those interviewed were refused a visa under existing powers. Entry clearance officers indicated they could have refused up to 32% of the remainder on grounds of genuineness. The full evaluation report of the pilot is being published today, and a copy has been placed in the Library of the House.
	Since 2011 the Government have overhauled the student visa system to tackle abuse while continuing to attract and retain the brightest and best students who will help drive growth in the economy. They have introduced a range of measures to tighten controls on institutions sponsoring international students, remove the entitlements that provided false incentives to those motivated by work not study, and ensure only those with the most to offer remain in the UK at the end of their course. Over 450 colleges have now lost their right to bring international students to the UK, and the number of student visas issued in the year to March 2012 fell by 21%.
	Whilst these changes have significantly strengthened the student visa regime, the pilot study identified some residual abuse. The findings indicate that targeted overseas interviews, supported by new powers of refusal, are useful additional tools to support entry clearance officers to identify and tackle it. These risk-based controls will be used alongside the wide range of other checks already operated by the UK Border Agency.
	These measures do not alter the duty on tier 4 sponsors to satisfy themselves that an applicant is able and intends to follow the course of study. They are designed to protect reputable providers that have made offers to students in good faith, and would otherwise risk UK Border Agency compliance action. Providers often undertake recruitment activity remotely, through agents.
	Interviewing will provide an additional layer of scrutiny, where needed, to help safeguard institutions. Interviews also will provide applicants with every opportunity to demonstrate how they meet the genuine student rule. Students from low-risk countries who already benefit from a streamlined visa application process will be exempt from the genuineness test.
	Further details on the application of these provisions will be set out in UK Border Agency guidance.